


Charcoal with just a tinge of embarrassment

by Tsuki_Amano



Series: 365 Stucky Shots [37]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Artist Steve Rogers, Draw Me Like One of Your French Girls, Fluff, M/M, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:46:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8395138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuki_Amano/pseuds/Tsuki_Amano
Summary: When Steve told Bucky he'd gotten a job as an illustrator, his friend had assumed it'd be something like pictures for children's books or for a magazine. He hadn't really expected him to be doing this. But no matter how much his friend insists that erotic art is a legitimate art form, there's no way Bucky Barnes is going to leave him alone with some strange nude model. Or the one where Bucky puts his foot in it and ends up modelling for Steve. Because all he wants to do is be a good friend.





	

“Uh, Steve…”

His friend looks up at him distractedly and then when he doesn’t say anything, resumes his work once again.

Bucky clears his throat and tries to frame a coherent sentence, but fails miserably.

“Bucky if you’re planning to say something, you should, or else you should close your mouth. You’re going to catch flies.”

“It’s just,” he points to the open sketch-pad in Steve’s lap, “That’s a penis.”

“Very astute of you Barnes, although I’d be a bit concerned if you didn’t know what it was.”

“We’ll ignore the terrible humour in favour of the real issue at hand…”

“Which is what exactly?”

“Why is there a penis on your lap?”

“I did tell you I’d gotten a job, didn’t I?”

“Drawing dicks?” and honestly, Bucky knows his voice has gone high-pitched and shrill, but this is _Steve Rogers_. The man blushed when the wind so much as ruffled a girl’s skirt. The thought of him drawing obscene portions of the human anatomy was borderline scandalous.

Unsurprisingly, Steve does not look amused and he tucks his charcoal pencil behind his ear before fixing Bucky with a scowl. “It is not ‘ _drawing dicks_ ,’ as you’ve so crudely put it. It’s erotic art, for a series of books that are coming out in a few months. The author saw some of my work online and they liked my portfolio enough to offer me a job. It’s not the ideal starting point, but honestly Buck, the human body is art in itself and besides, I need the money to make rent.”

The room seems warmer for some reason, Bucky thinks to himself, and he pulls at his collar wondering if he should open a window for some ventilation. Because little Stevie Rogers, who’d he pulled from the clutches of bullies and whose mother he’d helped bake pies, was drawing what was essentially porn. He wasn’t sure his heart could take it.

There’s a small part of him that wonders whether the images have been based off models but he decides he won’t ask that, he’d rather not know.

“If you were that hard on cash, you know I’d have lent it to you,” he says.

Steve shuts his sketch book with a slam and swears under his breath, “This is why I didn’t bring it up with any of you, honestly, you’re behaving like this is the end of the world. It’s just a few drawings and the pay is pretty decent. I’m already halfway done with the commission and all I need to do is meet the model for the next set and …”.

It’s at this junction that Bucky’s brain freezes. He can hear it trying to reboot itself frantically and he swallows heavily even though his mouth has suddenly gone parched.

“Wait did you say model?”

There’s an uncomfortable silence before Steve says, “Well, there needs to be some diversity in the anatomy that people will be viewing and I need something as inspiration so the author was willing to send over someone who he says served as inspiration for one of the characters in the book.”

“Why not just use a picture?”

“Because Buck, it wouldn’t be the same. For this to be as realistic as possible, I’d need to see it live.”

And Bucky’s not sure if he wants to sit down or scream or do both at the same time, because Steve, his little Stevie, was going to be staring at some stranger’s dick in their living room. The consternation must show on his face because Steve hesitantly says, “I know it might be awkward if he came over to ours for this, but I didn’t really know if I wanted to go to his apartment.”

And no, the thought of him all alone in some stranger’s home is definitely not good for his blood pressure.

He knows he’s being irrational, Steve is a brilliant artist and professional to a fault. He illustrates for all kinds of things, ranging from children’s books to magazine articles, he’s just had a hard time finding jobs off-late. He’s also more than capable of handling himself, especially in a work environment.

If he’s being entirely honest with himself though, he knows his worry goes beyond simply being afraid for Steve’s safety and virtue. He’s known for a while that he’s interested in his friend in more than a platonic sense, but the problem is, there’s never been any sign that his interest was reciprocated. Steve had never been interested in relationships, barring one short period of time where he’d dated Peggy Carter and given Bucky the worst heart burn of his life. He’s just not sure that he’s willing to risk his friendship for something he isn’t even sure will come through.

And it’s perhaps that long seated friendship that allows him, when he looks up, to see the momentary flicker of nervousness on Steve’s face. It’s just the slightest break in that mask he normally has on, which usually is a perfect picture of stubbornness, but Bucky knows him well enough to catch it.

Sitting down on their worn-out sofa, he nudges his shoulder against Steve’s. “Having second thoughts about this pal?”

His jaw set, Steve turns his head away from Bucky and says, “No. I’ve got everything under control.”

“Steve it’s me, you don’t have to pretend. I can help, whatever it is.”

His head tilts downwards a bit, and Bucky watches the most delicious flush paint its way across his cheeks and the tip of his nose.  “It’s silly really, I mean, I’ve done so many real-life models in class and for art projects. But I guess I’m just nervous? I don’t know. I met the model a few days ago, and there was something about him. I just can’t get my stomach to sit still.”

Wrapping his arm around Steve’s shoulder, he says, “Did you tell the author about this?”

“How could I? It’d sound so unprofessional. How can I say; _Yeah I don’t want to work with your model because he makes me feel uncomfortable_?”

“Steve if this was anyone else, you know what you’d be telling them? That their comfort and safety came first, above all else. And that’s what I’m going to tell you right now. If something about this doesn’t sit right with you, then you don’t need to go ahead with it.”

Burying his forehead into Bucky’s shoulder, Steve admits, “At this point though, the only way I’ll be able to opt out of using this model is by finding another one to replace him. And where am I going to do that? It’d need to be someone who would be able to model in the nude for me for free, and on such short notice.”

He cards through Steve’s hair with his fingers absentmindedly, when he realises something.

“I could do it.”

And wow, did he not think some of his ideas through sometimes, but Steve’s arms are around his waist hugging him and he has a lap full of a grateful blond. He’ll figure out the logistics of this problem later.

* * *

 

“You volunteered to be a nude model for Rogers? As in the man you’ve been crushing on for the better part of your lifetime?”

“I couldn’t just let him be stuck with a creep Tony, you should have seen him, he looked so unsettled.”

Tony chews his sandwich thoughtfully before remarking, “Bucky. Buddy. I’m not sure you’re understanding this in its entirety. See, you’ll have to be in front of Steve for an extended period of time. Naked. And he’s going to be very fixated on a certain part of your anatomy that from what I’ve understood, has shown a great deal of interest in him before.”

Bucky chokes on his drink.

Maybe he hadn’t thought this through.

* * *

 

The next evening, he stands in front of the living room entrance, one hand clutching onto the towel that shields his last shred of dignity. He can do this, he knows he can, he just has to convince his feet to move.

“You don’t have to do this Buck,” says Steve quietly, from his spot on the sofa. He’s set up the armchair opposite to where he was sitting, made sure it was laden with cushions and blankets and from where Bucky stands, it looks opulent.

“Nah pal, it’s fine. Just, just give me a second.”

He takes a deep breath before dropping the towel.

Half an hour later and Bucky thinks it’s safe to say this is one of the most awkward situations he’s ever faced in his life. Steve’s ears are still flushed and he hasn’t spoken or made eye contact with Bucky once since they started. Bucky’s trying his best to make sure _no part_ of him moves, which is proving to be harder than he anticipated.

When Steve makes an aborted jerk of his head upwards, Bucky decides that this can’t go on.

“Come on Stevie, this wasn’t supposed to make things awkward.” He begins, wriggling his hips a bit.

“Don’t move!” Steve barks out and that isn’t quite the response he was anticipating. Bucky almost whines, “Steve, my ass is going numb.”

He looks at Steve and finds a slight smile playing around his lips. The feeling of relief that washes over him is immense and that’s all he takes to burst out laughing.

A few seconds later, Steve’s laughing too, sketchpad carefully placed on the side.

As Steve looks up at him, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling, Bucky thinks to himself that he’s pretty happy spending his Friday evening cramped in an uncomfortable position like this, if only to see Steve’s smile light up the room.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Personally, I agree with Steve on this one, it's completely a legit form of art (both the sketching and modelling), so anything in this fiction is just a plot device. However, always remember that you need to be super careful in such settings and if you feel uncomfortable bail. This goes both ways (for the model and artist).
> 
> There may be mistakes in this, but I'm trying to update more regularly so while I'm giving it a quick edit, that's all I have the time for. If there's any mistakes, please let me know!


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